Current ETD technology renders even more false positives than the WBI. The rate of false positives from both technologies is insanely high.

These technologies are so inaccurate that a "positive" from either doesn't rise to the level of "probable cause".

When the whole scope n' grope nonsense started, I was pretty open minded about the TSA's presence in the airports. That's changed. The more I analyze the way the TSA spends money, hires people and sets policy, the more certain I am that they must turn transportation security back over to the airlines and the airports.

The free market will quickly determine which technologies are worth spending money on, and which are boondoggles. The courts will quickly sort out what screening tactics are acceptable.

The TSA is a failed experiment, and it's high time we pulled the plug. More time and money invested in the TSA will only highlight the federal government's incompetence and moral turpitude. The TSA has gotten steadily worse since its inception, in spite of a ballooning budget and several changes in leadership.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Enough already!

PS: It's ironic that I, a middle-aged, died-in-the-wool social and political conservative came to the same conclusion as "The Moral Liberal".

http://www.themoralliberal.com/2010/...-air-security/

So where does that leave us?

If both WBI and ETD have high false positives then whats left? That's not a rhetorical question.

I would hate to think that TSA could justify the assaults on the public they currently inflict.

I am adamantly opposed to the full body gropes conducted by Airport Security Screeners as well as the WBI Porno Machines.

I have no reason to believe routine 4th amendment violations are necessary to Transportation Security.

Nothing I've seen suggests this is true. Not the undie bomber, not the shoe bomber, not the angry Chechen ladies who blew themselves up in Russia this Winter. None of these incidents suggest that routine 4th amendment violations imposed on air travelers will solve these "problems."

These "problems", when put in perspective, are ridiculously small. They don't justify the hysteria, trouble, expense or wholesale assault on civil rights they've generated.

Civil Rights violations create terrorist cells. Cut down on civil rights violations, and a lot of problems go away.

Consider the USMC vet who was placed on the no-fly-list as a ploy coerce him into becoming an unpaid, unprotected government snoop within the U.S. Muslim community. If placing him on the no-fly-list destroys his business, he'll have nothing better to do than dream up ways of getting even. It makes me want to write Nutty Nappy a "Smooth-Move-Ex Lax" letter of congratulations. (Composing it would be a delicate matter. What would Miss Manners write?)

That's just one example. The best way to cut down on domestic terror is to protect Americans' Constitutional rights.

Good intelligence and professional police work are somewhat helpful too. Sensible security measures such as used by businesses and military bases are also appropriate.

Organizations that are serious about security don't break the law in order to get their results. Crime just doesn't pay. Criminal measures taken as security measures backfire. Everybody knows this except Nutty Nappy and Poor Pissy.

PS: The DHS has been operating very much like a cult. One of the many signs of this is their "magical thinking". Most cults do this. The idea that technology can somehow provide an easy fix to transportation security in the form of gadgets is tempting to any modern thinker. Technology has given us a great deal. That being recognized, if the TSA was led by intelligent, mature, sane thinkers, then these people would have quickly realized that the body imaging devices and nitrate detecting devices currently available were nowhere near good enough to waste tax dollars on. Only a cultist with a bad case of magical thinking would continue to pretend these devices are worth the trouble. The DHS, as an organization, is certifiably mad. The magical thinking exhibited by the leadership and rank and file is a symptom of their collective insanity. They need help.

So exactly how would you screen a couple of million people a day?

If the technology in current use is not really reliable what other things would you suggest be done?

This is my problem solving plan:

1. Make the airlines and airports responsible for Transportation Security.

2. Watch and learn.

That's all.

I don't have to know what the solution is in order to go about solving the problem.

The differences between me and our narcissistic leaders are:

1. I know I don't have the answer.

2. I am too ethical to claim I know the answer when I don't.

3. I know it is more effective to work with people than against them.

When the American people and the aviation industry turned to our government after 9-11 and demanded the government "solve" the "problem" of "terrorism", we were all being childish and short-sighted. It's high time we grew up.

First I want to be very clear that I am not arguing this point with you, just friendly discussion.

I don't pretend to have all the answers but I do feel strongly that what DHS/TSA is doing is very wrong.

We mere citizens don't really have the facts on how effective ETD machines are and I also question there reliability. I had a camera bag alert and I for a fact know that nothing was in, on, or around that bag that would be deemed a threat.

I do believe that ETD/ETP is the only means to detect explosive components currently available.

I am on the fence when it comes to WBI and ATR displays. I could accept those if they are MMW only and have a very low false positive rate.

The TSA already knows who we are when we buy our airline tickets. That alone allows ruling out most threats. WTMD plus ETD would bring the remaining risk to almost zero levels.

I don't have a bit of confidence in TSA's BDO program. Even if the technique is possible I don't think it can be taught in a few days as is TSA practice. The fact that TSA refuses to even discuss the program leads me to believe that have nothing positive to present. Think about it, if you could single out people with bad intentions would it be advantageous to demonstrate that capability to the public. A significant deterrent all by itself.

So I'm with you, the Airlines/Airports should be responsible for the security of their property and passengers.

Screening should not violate citizens persons unless reasonable cause can be demonstrated and documented.

Screening protocols should be effective.

TSA does none of the above.

The cause of the failure in the TSA's case is the direct result of the agency failing to proficiently administer the procurement and maintenance specifications (surprise! ). When this became apparent, Michael Chertoff was ready to jump in and pimp the Nude-O-Scopes for his own financial gain.

Meanwhile, in the world where security theatre and political grift are not rampant, ETP/ETD is used in venues such as nuclear facilities and the CN Tower in YYZ.

Another captive rubber stamp is not going to do US any good. (think LEO as an existing rubber stamp: how well have they protected against the current assaults--they're stooges for the TSA) That rent a judge will be just lilke the ones at the sobriety checkpoints authorizing forced blood draws. That judge will be biased in favor of the folks who pay him, just like the LEO.

We need someone there with authority that represents PASSENGERS only, that has the power to stop TSA impositions. If TSA causes someone to miss flights or other bookings, they must pay for it, on the spot. The current system, where pax pay for TSA screwups and retaliatory behavior, has to stop. It won't stop unless it starts costing TSA.

Today a representative from the CATO Institute addressed the PA legislators who were weighing their State's proposed anti-grope legislation. He had a lot of interesting things to say. In closing he said:

http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=12924

He's a smart feller, but he didn't claim to know which tech toys or security protocols would be most effective. He simply pointed out that a better solution would be arrived at if our economic and political systems were allowed to work as they were designed.

All three of us have had a while to think about it. We come from different parts of the country, and don't have a lot in common in terms of social location. What we do have in common is an appreciation for the U.S. as it was designed by the Constitution. It's a good design. I'd like to run with it for a few more centuries.

Actaully, pre 9/11 security was fine.

Adequate.

Call me crazy, but think about it... There is absolutely NO WAY a would be terrorist, would be able to take over a commercial jet today. None!

You could have almost no security and it wouldnt happen.

Two reasons:

1) there are far too many of us out there that will stand up and fight when the time comes. Any terrorist trying to take over a jet would be met with extreme force via the passengers.

2) the USAF would shoot down the plane.

Making all current 'security' complete BS.

The again, after seeing how well the american populace rolls over, eh option 1 may be out... After all, dress up as a cop, flash a tin badge, and arm yourself with a look alike gun... and well... ya that could be bad.

I agree. I don't know what the TSA stated goal is, but if it's to keep another 9/11 from happening then we don't even need airport security. They improved the cockpit doors and no one on a plane will ever allow it to be hijacked ever again.

If however the TSA are trying to prevent someone from blowing up a passenger aircraft, they are failing miserably. There are so many security holes that someone could sneak explosives on a plane that it's not even funny to joke about. Not to mention that joe blow terrorist just needs to buy a few RPGs and park himself at the end of a busy runway. How many planes do you think someone could shoot down before anyone decided to ground all the flights?

The overarching comedic fallacy of the entire TSA is the idea that there are any terrorists in the US even TRYING to blow up planes.

If there were terrorists hellbent on killing a bunch of Americans, they would already be doing so at far easier targets that don't have ANY security. One suicide bomber in a crowded mall, nightclub or theater would do more damage than blowing up a plane.

Now, if we were dealing with all kinds of bombings in public places on a regular basis, that would be a different story. But we're not.

So why are we spending billions of our tax dollars on this? It just makes no sense at all.